ASEAN Community

Sen. Lieut. Gen. Phan Van Giang, Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army and Deputy Minister of National Defence received Commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Air Force, Air Chief Marshal Chaiyapruk Didyasarin, in Hanoi on November 16.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, his spouse and the high-ranking delegation of Vietnam arrived in Hanoi on November 15 evening, concluding a trip to Singapore for the 33rd ASEAN Summit and related summits at the invitation of his Singaporean counterpart Lee Hsien Loong.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc joined leaders of other ASEAN countries and India at the ASEAN-India Informal Breakfast Summit in Singapore on November 15 within the framework of the ongoing 33rd ASEAN Summit.

ASEAN’s unity must continue to be the key factor in both thought and actions for the sake of a steady, resilient and strongly cohesive ASEAN Community, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said at a plenary session of the 33rd ASEAN Summit in Singapore on November 13.

The ASEAN Political-Security Community Council (APSC) and the ASEAN Coordinating Council (ACC) convened their meetings in Singapore on November 13 to review the grouping’s cooperation, and complete reports and documents to be submitted to the leaders.

Prime Minister of Thailand Prayut Chan-ocha will deliver a vision statement in preparation for the country’s 2019 ASEAN Chairmanship at the 33rd ASEAN Summit in Singapore from November 13-15, the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced.

The 33rd ASEAN Summit, slated for November 13-15 in Singapore, will focus on strengthening intra-bloc cooperation and connections, building a resilient and innovative ASEAN Community and sketching out ASEAN orientations for following years.

The Ministry of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs (MoLISA) held a conference in Hanoi on November 9 to discuss progress in human rights work during 2018 and the implementation of relevant recommendations in line with the second cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR).

The National Assembly of Vietnam always pays special attention to issues related to gender equality and women’s development and is willing to cooperate with other ASEAN member nations in this field, said NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan.

“We cannot become an ASEAN community of solidarity, resilience, innovation and sustainable development without the engagement of women and girls. Thus, they deserve equality in families and society, protection and empowerment to realise their full rights”, said Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

Vietnam, as an active and responsible member of the ASEAN community, strongly backs the cooperation in promoting gender equality and female empowerment between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the European Union (EU).

The 17th Meeting of the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC) took place in Hanoi on October 20, gathering representatives from ten ASEAN nations and the ASEAN Secretariat.